Internet service providers have been told they should not advertise as "free" if they charge for any part of their online package.

The Advertising Standards Authority took action after upholding a complaint from 167 consumers about service provider ntl's failure to provide the free internet access promised in its advertising.

An ASA spokesman said: "We have asked the advertisers not to advertise free internet access through ntlworld until they could supply the service to all applicants within a reasonable time."